1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to protective articles and methods and in particular to protective articles and methods for protecting persons, animals, and other non-living articles or items from impact or other forces.
2. Description of Related Art
Guards and other protective equipment is widely used in amateur and professional sports and other activities to protect participants' from injury. For example, in soccer, players often wear shin guards to protect their lower legs in the event that they are kicked by other players during a game. Football players wear protective shoulder and thigh pads to prevent injury due to impact with other players. Baseball players, such as catchers, use protective chest pads to prevent injury if the catcher is struck by the baseball. Without adequate protection in these sports and others, the risk of injury is high. Protective equipment is also used in non-sports settings. One example is the medical industry which uses casts and splints to immobilize and protect areas of a patient's body.
Existing guards and protective equipment provide some protection for the persons or equipment to which the guards are applied, but the guards are typically bulky and uncomfortable. Many times, the guards are a single piece of rigid plastic or other material that is affixed to the protected article. Other times, the guards may be a very thick padding or other material. Obtaining a customized fit between the guard and the protected article is often impossible. In the case of person's wearing the guard, this lack of customized fit makes the guards less comfortable to wear, and the guards could under some circumstances impede the movement of the person. Finally, a guard that does not fit properly also fails to provide maximum impact protection to a person.